Stepping in to save Walmsley Bridge ahead of derby day

Wigan

Project Overview

Location	Wigan
Sector	Highways
Products	Mass 25

Urgent intervention from our team has prevented the last-minute closure of Walmsley Bridge ahead of the highly anticipated Wigan Athletic vs Bolton Wanderers match, ensuring thousands of supporters and local residents could continue to use a key pedestrian route across the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

The challenge

Structural safety concerns

The local council raised concerns about the bridge’s condition and its ability to safely carry heavy pedestrian traffic.

Potential match-day disruption

Closure on match day risked disrupting travel for thousands of football fans and local residents.

Rapid temporary solution needed

A fast, effective temporary fix was needed at short notice.

Our solution

Responding at short notice, we were called in to deliver a rapid temporary works solution. While the volume of physical equipment deployed was relatively modest, the company mobilised specialist engineers, site teams, and the right technical expertise to design and implement a safe fix in record time.

Mick Woods, Construction Manager at Mabey Hire, said: “This wasn’t a large or complex scheme in terms of the amount of kit on site, but it’s a great example of where having the right people, knowledge, and readiness makes all the difference. Our engineers and site teams were able to move quickly, assess the situation, and put a practical solution in place so the bridge could stay open safely.”

Wigan Council confirmed that the temporary works were successfully completed, allowing the bridge to remain accessible for both match-day supporters and everyday users. Local community figures welcomed the swift response, noting that even a short-term closure would have had a significant impact on residents, businesses, and football fans alike.

Mick added: “It’s not always about the size or complexity of a scheme. Technically, this was a small solution — but its importance to local people and the thousands of supporters heading to the game was huge. That’s exactly the kind of situation where we want to step in and help.”

The intervention has been widely praised as a practical example of collaboration between local authorities and specialist engineering firms to keep critical infrastructure functioning when it matters most.

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